SwordGuyJoe

There is a blade posted on eBay (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... tsupported) and the seller is translating as Takedo Otoji. While I have little to base it on, I don't think he's right. Can someone prove me or him wrong? Thanks!

It may help to paste the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0423535153

What style of sword is this considered? It seems similar, but not quite Kogarasu-maru - although I may be out to lunch on that. I really like the style of this and have also seen some katana in similar shape. Is this rare? Is there a reason that it I don't see these as often as the more conventional styles - weaker cutting strength, not preferred by samurai of the time, etc? Thanks for answering such a beginner question.

All, A while back, I posted a request for translation assistance - viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5020. Koichi-san helped me out and let me know that the smith was Isachi Kanehiro (伊佐地兼弘) and gave me a link where he is listed as a Seki Smith (http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/seki.htm) - and that is about as much information that I can find on the guy. I have a Ichihara Nagamitsu (signed Ichiryushi), Nagamura Kiyonobu, Koa Isshin Mantetsu, Kumazawa Kanetoshi, and a Ikami Sadahiro. I can find something on each of them online or in my reference books. I have the out of print "Swordsmith's of Japan 1926-1945", by Fuller and Gregory, Slough's book of Oshigata, and Hawleys (not much help on Showa era, I know). Maybe I am lucky on the other blades that there is a lot to find and this one I am just out of luck, but not willing to throw in the towel quite yet. Does anyone have any suggestions, whether it is websites, books, etc.? I would like to have a little bit more to hang my hat on that a single link. Thanks everyone!

I am also interested in these. Are they mounted in anything but Kai Gunto? I have never seen these mounted in shin gunto, kyu gunto, etc. Thanks for bringing up this post.

All, I am not sure what to make of this auction . There is a long ken, which I know do exist, but my question is, it is located in China - Is this legitimate? It looks the part, but the fact that it is located in China puts me off immediately. Thanks! http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-sword-ken- ... tsupported

Nothing to be sorry about! I appreciate the feedback. The reason that I was looking for a shirasaya is because the blade is in koshirae that is not original to the sword. The fittings are too big, perhaps for a katana. I would appreciate some more information: The sword is dead: What do you mean and how can I tell this? Any thoughts on which of the Yasuhiro's this is? Thanks again, I am drinking it all in as we speak!

In a previous post (viewtopic.php?f=15&t=5309) I requested assistance translating a mei for a wak that I picked up. I have added some photos and am looking for more assistance. The translated mei puts this as (Hawley's) YAS 804 - 807 (generations 1 through 4), but I am not sure which one. YAS 804 - 806 show a kiku symbol, which would lead me to believe that this is YAS 807 (The 4th generation), but I have also found Yasuhiro's with the same mei, no kiku, attributed to generations 1 through 3. Is there any help you can provide to point me in the right direction as to which Yasuhiro crafted this blade and approximately when? Here is a link to the photos, including those found on the eBay listing. I am also trying to determine whether it requires (or is worth) polishing. If it is one of the Yasuhiros listed above, is it worth the money to polish, and paper, considering that I have already invested $500+ on it? I don't mean to ask a tacky question, but I don't want to pay over $2,500 to polish and paper the blade if not really worth it. I found some Yasuhiro blades for sale online that says that it is, but as my posts have indicate, I am really more of a Showa era gunto collector who has only recently dabbled in older blades. Thank you so much for your help! Here is the link to photos: http://web.me.com/joseph.kraninger/Joes ... .html#grid Blade appears to be in very good condition, but whether polishing or not, I need to buy a shirasaya, any good contacts and rough estimates for what that would cost me? Thanks again.

Thanks - Honestly, since I haven't ever seen one in person, I was nervous that I bought a fake.

Does anyone know where I could research who this gentleman was?

All, I recently picked up a Grade 1 Manchukuoan sword. It has a white same varient handle and a blade variant - Kogarasu-maru, rather than a Katana style blade. I am curious if a person could - or more importantly should - clean the backstrap, pommel, side ears, and hand guard (I hesitate to call it a tsuba). Also, can a person clean the same???

Does this mean he will do a good job or since it is showato, not many do this type of work and he's really the only choice? Is he good? I know for this type of blade, I don't need the best, but I would like a good job. Thank you for the advise!

All, I am not sure if this should be moved to the military section or not. If so feel free to move. I have a 1942 Koa Isshin Mantetsu that has a lot of scratches on it. I have attached a couple photos, not sure if they will really show you much. How do I - and by "I" I mean a professional, not myself - remove these from the blade? How much will that cost? Can anyone point me in the right direction?

All, I am now sitting at my desk and looking at Yasuhiro and there are four of them. I thought that is would be the 4th generation due to the fact that there is no kiku, but then found a 1st generation that did not have a Kiku. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks. Blade pics.zip

As I don't have my Hawley's with me and I cannot read Japanese, how decent of a smith is he? To me anyway - and I could be missing something - the sword Steve linked looks lovely, but I could be missing something. Thanks. Well at least it lets me know that if someone else is looking at it, my taste isn't completely off. I wound up picking that sword up for $543! Seemed like a steel (pun intended in the mis-spelling) to me.

Does anyone know if they are going to replay it? I am in North Dakota and apparently their PBS cares not for the way of the kamikaze.

Any help with this one? It's tough to decipher... Thanks in advance.

Koshirae is the mountings - (saya - scabbard and tsuka - handle)

Additionally, Larry took a look at this and I think if it looked off for any reason he would have told me. Pics should tell the story well enough. Off topic, how do you get a good pic of the hamon? I have tried a couple different ways with less than successful results.

I am pretty comfortable on my Kiyonobu and confident that it is not a fake or something to make someone queasy, but you can see a larger pic here as well as more of the sword: http://web.me.com/joseph.kraninger/Joes ... bu.html#37 The symbol - if not a jyu - is very small, maybe a cm in size.

Thanks Mark. I have just read a few posts of people holding out for period pieces that match their blades and was scratching my head on it. I appreciate your help.

That's right folks, strap on your helmets and keep drool cups at the ready, because I have a dumb question. I have posted a few times regarding buying gunto mounts for a couple of my swords and was told that I had a slim to none chance to find these that would fit my blades. So my question is more towards nihonto, vice gunto stuff. If I have a wak, kat, ken (did you guys see the ken I bought? Still looking for some feedback), etc. mounted in a shirasaya and I wanted to buy koshirae for it, including a tsuba, how is it possible to find koshirae that will fit and not gunto mounts. I am sure there is a good answer, I just don't know it. Thanks for the help.

All, I ran across a sword on eBay that has number Kanji on the back of it and it reminded me that I have a Shin-gunto Nagamura Kiyonobu with something similar. On the reverse side of the nakago, is a Jyu (see 1st photo attached). I always thought it was nothing, until I saw the sword on eBay (second photo attached). Mine: eBay: Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

I don't doubt the originality of the tsuba. The one thing that I have learned in military collecting is that you can never that the Japanese never allowed any special variants. That said, this blade is a shin-gunto mounted katana with the leather covered saya variant with most of the leather torn off. It has a civilian tsuba, which I have seen before. I have actually seen all civilian mounts carried in a shin-gunto saya and even all civilian mounts with a rank tassel. These variants happened more often towards the end of the war when they were in "panic" mode. The blade's temper is very attractive, but you would have to weigh the cost of a polish to clean it up. If the cost of polishing does not out weigh the value to you as a collector than I'd say bid on it, but if the blade alone is not worth the bid or the cost for polishing, then maybe steer clear of this one.

It must hurt to give these guys money, but he got a decent fake - or we'll call it a reproduction in this forum.